Thunderstar's Echo/Chapter 9
Detailed plot summary :Thunderstar yowls for Cloud Spots to come and help with Violet Dawn's kitting. He comes over with Shivering Rose and asks if it's time, telling Violet Dawn to take a deep breath. Other cats are now crowding around the four cats, and Cloud Spots suggests that they move to the nursery. He glares at the other cats and tells them to back off. Violet Dawn complains that it hurts, and they wait for a moment before moving over to the nursery. Milkweed already made her kits, Patch Pelt and Beech Tail, move out to give the laboring queen room. The black-and-white tom tells his apprentice to go grab some chervil to help Violet Dawn with her kitting. She obeys, and starts to walk out the entrance, then reminds Thunderstar that he is blocking the entrance. The tom moves, embarrassed, and worried that since he can't help Violet Dawn while she's kitting, he can't help raise them. :He looks up and finds Owl Eyes trying to comfort him, saying that his kits will be healthy. The ThunderClan leader agrees, but he can't do anything to help, and he doesn't know what kind of father he's going to be, or if he will know how to take care of them. The ginger tom feels like he's falling apart, because he can't do anything and doesn't usually confide in Owl Eyes. Owl Eyes is shocked and tells Thunderstar that looking after his kits will be easy compared to looking after ThunderClan. Thunderstar still is doubtful, but at least is comforted by the fact that at least one cat believes in him, even if he didn't. :Shivering Rose returns to the nursery with some chewed up chervil, and Cloud Spots orders Violet Dawn to eat some of it. She replies shakily, and her mate is debating whether to enter the nursery or not. The black-and-white medicine cat meows that it's normal for kitting to hurt. Violet Dawn moans that she needs Thunderstar, and Thunderstar immediately bolts in. Cloud Spots comments that sometimes it is best for the father to stay outside, and Violet Dawn insists that he stay. Shivering Rose notes that the kits are almost here. :Violet Dawn yowls in pain, and Thunderstar murmurs in her ear that it'll be all right, and that her kits will now be able to prod her from the outside, rather than the inside. She laughs, only for it to turn into a gasp. Cloud Spots announces that the first one is coming, and Shivering Rose instructs Violet Dawn to take a deep breath, then push. Movement occurs on Cloud Spots end, but all Thunderstar can see is his mate's face, and he tells her that she will be fine, that she's so strong. Cloud Spots announces the birth of a tom, and places him next to Violet Dawn. Instructed to lick him, Thunderstar reaches down and licks the little tom, who is the same bright ginger as his father. :At last, all the kits are born. Four healthy kits are born to Thunderstar and his mate, and Beech Tail and Patch Pelt, who seemed small earlier, are now giants compared to his kits. Violet Dawn comments that they are quite nice, licking the head of a small gray tom who was born after everyone else, and Thunderstar says he used to not understand it when parents called their kits perfect. But now he does, because his kits are perfect. Violet Dawn thinks that a ginger striped tabby was going to be the strongest, because it is kneading hard at her side already. :The gray queen nudges the kit onto her back. On the kit's belly is a zigzagging stripe of white. Thunderstar feels sad, because if Lightning Tail were still alive, he would've laughed at this and made a favorite out of the kit. However, the black tom would never see these kits, and Thunderstar vows to tell them about brave Lightning Tail, who saved him. Important events Births *Lightning Stripe, Sleek Fur, Feather Ear, and Shell Claw are born to Thunderstar and Violet Dawn. Characters Major *Violet Dawn }} Minor *Shivering Rose *Milkweed *Beech Tail *Patchpelt *Lightning Stripe (unnamed) *Sleek Fur (unnamed) *Feather Ear (unnamed) *Shell Claw (unnamed) }} Mentioned }} Notes and references Category:Novellas Category:Chapter subpages Category:Thunderstar's Echo